Rally Point: Five Tasks to Unite the Country and Revitalize the American Dream

by Chris Gibson

Overview

A smart and surprising political inventory for how America can reunite and revitalize in a time of crisis.

Written by an admired leader of the Republican party, Rally Point: Five Tasks to Unite the Country and Revitalize the American Dream looks past the 2016 election, past the finger pointing and conventional political thinking, to focus on clear, primary principles that conservatives must debate and defend to protect the future of America.

Raised in a working-class family in upstate New York, the first in his family to go to college, paid for in part by his service in the National Guard, Chris Gibson rose from Private to Colonel in the Army, including combat command in the storied 82nd Airborne Division. RALLY POINT is his story: what he's learned from the "School of Hard Knocks" and how he's applied those precious life lessons during his service in Iraq and in Congress.

Drawn from a deep appreciation of history and American exceptionalism, Gibson provides incisive and frank analysis of the current political environment, including President Trump, and provides a roadmap based on time-tested Founding principles to help unite our country and revitalize the American Dream. RALLY POINT is a thoughtful, compelling, enjoyable read - a must for serious-minded Americans looking for answers in this challenging political environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538760581
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Chris Gibson has over thirty-five years of distinguished public service. He has spent the last six years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (NY-19). He also spent twenty-nine years in the U.S. Army, where he rose to the rank of colonel and commanded the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade. He served four combat tours in Iraq and was awarded four Bronze Star Medals and the Purple Heart.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Practice Peace through Strength 7

Chapter 2 Restore Founding Principles 60

Chapter 3 Promote a Flourishing Life 117

Chapter 4 Keep Faith 157

Chapter 5 Unify and Grow 190

Conclusion 223

Acknowledgments 229

Notes 233

Editorial Reviews

"From the unique perspective of a proven combat leader, meticulous scholar, and experienced public policy practitioner, Colonel Gibson offers his insight on what is necessary to revitalize our Republic and unite the country. [This book] combines political philosophy, public policy analysis, and autobiographical lessons to provide a fresh and compelling vision for our country — a must-read."—Ed Meese, former U.S. attorney general

"Chris Gibson served our country with honor and distinction, both in uniform and in Congress. While we have a different approach to solving some of our country's challenges, we share the critical principle that service to our country and the well-being of the American people must come before partisan politics . . . a timely message of unity for a divided nation."—Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. representative (HI)

"RALLY POINT is an important read about how we can rekindle the American Dream, written by a man who has dedicated his life to public service. From his combat days serving in the U.S. Army to his three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, Chris's wealth of experience on the most important issues facing our country has given him invaluable insight to chart a practical path forward that can unite our country."—Elise Stefanik, U.S. representative (NY)

"Chris Gibson has done a masterful job of laying out the enormous challenges we face as a nation, then showing us a practical way forward. Beautifully written, with powerful examples — from baseball to combat, from family to politics — it's an inspiring roadmap for a better future."—Chris Stewart, New York Times bestselling author

"Thoughtful insights on contemporary America and moving our country forward from a man with an inspiring story of rising from blue-collar roots to become a proven leader for our nation, from the battlefields of Iraq to the halls of Congress."—Dan Lipinski, U.S. representative (IL)

"A leader of character in uniform and on the Hill, Chris Gibson details the drift underway from our nation's founding principles and values; more importantly, he offers alternatives to better align with our forefathers' founding vision. He calls upon us all as citizens to step up and be counted . . . a resounding call to action."—General Dan Allyn, U.S. Army (retired), former vice chief of the Army

"...[A] touching and historically valuable sketch of a certain kind of contemporary American life. Excellent."—The Weekly Standard

"A reminder...of what thoughtful leadership looks like."—The Daily Star

From the Publisher

2017-08-06
A conservative cri de coeur by a former U.S. representative.Gibson, a retired Purple Heart-winning Army officer from upstate New York, term-limited himself out of Congress when his term expired in January 2017, just after a bruising presidential race. Of that, he writes mildly, "for the majority of Americans, the 2016 presidential was not a positive experience." Trump's victory, he suggests, brings with it a rat's nest of problems, since it elevated "a guy without a strong set of principles and beliefs….President Trump lacks the core strength of deeply held views." While his own views would appear to be deeply held, especially on matters of religion, Gibson voted for that guy as "the only candidate who could bring the change we need—jobs, wages, and reform." That, of course, remains to be seen. The author serves up a set of red-meat-to-true-believer formulas: "restore founding principles," "unify and grow," and so forth, each of which seems reasonable enough at first glance but under which are some questionable assertions. For instance, the Establishment Clause notwithstanding, by Gibson's view, "the United States has never been a secular state." No? Tell it to the Founders. Of Robespierre, architect of revolution, he writes, "the French experiment with a republic died with him." Tell that to Emmanuel Macron. Libertarians and even progressives will find common cause in a few of Gibson's points, such as his repudiation of the Iraq War, a deviation from the author's "peace through strength" mantra, and of the Patriot Act. "We reject authoritarianism," he writes resoundingly, "and favor liberty and the messy business of self-governance in which citizens have rights and responsibilities." Even so, many of Gibson's stated views tend toward the Tea Party right, especially when he scorns fellow Republicans for being statist, neoliberal, and so forth. A book that can be reduced to slogans, none especially original—but a requisite step in building a brand for the next political step.

Kirkus Reviews